Trying not to neglect!

Dude.

I seriously fail at this blog.

Complete fail.

Sometimes, I feel like I don't really care about it that much. Because Tumblr is just that much cooler, funner, and addicting.

I still need this when I have long text posts I want to do, though. Still don't feel comfortable writing alot on Tumblr. ;)

Anyway, I had a lovely dinner with everyone from work at Marco Polo, the only Chinese restaurant I've been in Salem that hasn't failed completely. I ordered the walnut chicken, but only because I really wanted to eat roasted walnuts drizzled in honey. That's the best kind of stuff!



And then I ended up watching two episodes of Glee with Chelsie. I've never watched Glee before and just jumped right into the Christmas episode. Fun!

We went to a party afterward and exchanged Secret Santa gifts. I've exchanged Christmas gifts before, but at this one particular moment, I thought, "Oh. This is what Christmas is."
Somehow, I thought I felt Christmas for the first time, but it's really hard to explain. My Secret Santa turned out to be a freshman boy and my gift was three pairs of knee-high pink socks. Honestly, I don't think he knew what a good gift for me would be at all but he tried and I love him anyway because he's adorable. He accidentally left his overdue library card inside, lol! I was so confused after unwrapping it. :P



I stayed up till 4~5am that night (or morning) for no reason. I was talking to my roommate and just didn't feel like sleeping. I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to wake up the next morning, but I knew I had taiko practice and that would force me to get up. And I did at 8:30am.

It was our last performance with the TIUA students before they returned to Japan. It generally went well, despite the slippery floors (we played outdoors when it was raining!) I had also pulled a butt muscle from running around in the rain in high heeled boots.

We were also given a short break to check out the flea market and I spent less than $20! Awesome.

We had a party that night at Kaoru's place. She and her husband own a vineyard so everyone was hoping to taste some of her wine...hehe!



She lived in a perfect house and I loved her living room. so. very. much.
I could imagine myself setting an easel in the middle of the room, painting Jaejoong or some other cute boy, while blasting JYJ on those amazing speakers.



And the food!

Oh my gosh, the food!!!

Okay, so I've been to nice restaurants and various other 'fancy' events that served 'fancy' food numerous times since coming to college, but I never thought the food actually tasted better really. Most of the time, everything looked better than it tasted. I was always disappointed. There was food in two different rooms and they just kept coming!



But this food was ah-ma-zing!!! So much wonderful desserts. We made okonomiyaki. Later, there were chicken drumsticks and pizza. And then this mysterious stew! No one really knew what it was exactly, except that it was heaven on earth. And the bread was incredibly soft. I loved the cheese spread. And there was this other almond-bacon-cheese spread on crackers that was interesting!

It was a sophisticated adult party (it wasn't just us taiko kids there) with wine. I tried some blushing champagne, which was pink with a frothy surface. It was really pretty~ my kind of drink! And then I tried the red wine that Kaoru recommended. It had a really strong smell and taste. I'm trying to ease myself into getting used to alcohol because I'm not liking it too much right now...but I'm trying some and being careful. :)

Too much fun in two days. I have a final on Monday. So I will have to have have to be serious tomorrow. Fo' sho!

Cyber Monday Purchases

Khaki Pleated Shorts


Sun Kissed Ruffled Shorts

Pink Studio "Parissa" Basket Weave Wedges

I bought things that I've been wanting for a long time so I'm really happy I got them. ^^



I also bought my new laptop for $650 (originally $850!) I loved my Dell Studio so I bought another one, only fancier with higher performance configurations. :) You can customize various parts of your laptop at Dell. It's awesome!

Such as sweetie!!!

...Tumblr has taken over. Does this blog suck or what? I hope it doesn't. :)

I still write...occasionally. Long text posts feel icky on Tumblr. And the truth is that I don't want to write a lot and reveal how stupid I am to the world. I still get excited about the small stuff and I can write all I want here! This blog is (hopefully) more private...I don't think much people bother to read this (except for really close friends.)

There is a hapa guy on campus who is tall, skinny, and has wild hair. Campus is small, so I've seen him a few times and thought he was really cute (baby cute, not hot cute). However, this was just based on shallow observation of his looks because I didn't know what kind of person he was. It turns out he is really sweet too!

I have a part-time job making deliveries and returns of technical equipment. Sometimes they get really difficult because you have to carry projector screens that are twice your height or push big and bulky carts. If you can manage that, you're fine. But the tricky part is opening doors while carrying the heavy stuff.

I had to pick up a cart at the library one morning and as I walked through the entrance, he shot me a big smile and said, "Hello!"

Not many strangers greet you in that way.

I felt like a cupid shot through my heart.
It was the a genuine happy-to-see-you smile.
It was beautiful.

When he saw me walking toward the entrance with the cart, he stood up from his seat behind the counter in a gesture to try to help me. But I got the door open so he slowly sat back down.

I couldn't stop smiling though. His smile made my morning. :)))

So that was...two months ago?

Tonight, I was on my way to buy some tea from the campus convenience store and he was walking in front of me. I quickly ran to the door and slipped in as he opened the door (I'm lazy like that and don't like to open doors myself haha). I had surprised him because he then turned around, saw me, and almost fell back with his arms flailing in the air as his long legs reached for balance. I think I made him feel bad for not holding the door open for me, but it was my own fault. When he recomposed himself, he opened the second door (double door entrance!) for me. I couldn't stop laughing. :)))

He is too cute!!!

Black Friday 2010

Make-up brushes and camera lens accessories = $30.

Exerpt from "Everything You Think You Know About Beating Stress Is Wrong"

Yesterday's Wisdom
Express your feelings

Today's Smart Strategy
Keep it to yourself

In our tell-all, Oprah-fied culture, we've come to believe that sharing our feelings is the only way to deal with life's struggles. But just the opposite is often true. "We've long thought that talking about problems is always better, but there's also evidence suggesting that this coping style doesn't work for everybody," explains Karin Coifman, PhD, an assistant professor of clinical psychology at Kent State University. Dr. Coifman and colleagues looked at how people whose spouse or child had just died coped with their loss. They learned that many of the subjects who avoided thinking or talking about their sadness—a style psychologists call repressive coping—had fewer short-term health problems, such as sore throats, diarrhea, and shortness of breath, as well as a lower incidence of long-term psychological problems. What's more, they returned to their everyday lives more quickly than those who dwelled upon their grief.

"There's a lot to be said for getting on with the business of living," says Dr. Coifman. "People who talk endlessly about their problems are actually the ones at greater risk of depression." In fact, researchers at the University of Missouri, Columbia, found that participants who repeatedly expressed their sadness or disappointment were more likely to develop depression and anxiety. That doesn't mean you should just suck it up when something bad happens. While you shouldn't deny yourself natural grieving moments, learning to direct your attention away from the stressor is a powerful coping mechanism. So after experiencing that initial burst of tears, turn to something positive—check in on a friend or rearrange your furniture. It's an important skill to look beyond the bad—we wouldn't survive as a species otherwise, Dr. Coifman adds.

By Daryn Eller, Prevention

Dilemnas and facing reality...

I've always been idealistic, but I've also become more bolder and impulsive since coming to college. I have been able to dream bigger because I'm on my own now and I don't have my sister's practicality or my family to bring me back to reality.

So I declared myself a double major, studying Japanese and art. It's what I personally and selfishly enjoy doing. My parents don't know yet because I haven't told them. I figured that they'd find out when I graduate and it would be too late then.

I knew I had to be careful in my selection of classes - trying to fit both of my major requirements will make my schedule tight. However, I've planned it out so that it just fits. But I found out I was wrong after my adviser's meeting this past Thursday.

I thought the 4 classes I take studying abroad will equal to 4 credits, but the 2 language classes I'm required to take actually count as 1 credit, making that a total of only 3 credits. I was 1 credit short of graduating on time.

So I knew I had to take 5 classes one semester. I thought selfishly and worried about whether I could handle the increased workload. I worried about being a super senior and not graduating with my friends.

I didn't realize until today that I don't have the luxury to even think any of this.
My parents don't even know I'm taking art in the first place.
They would not pay an extra $2000 for me to study art.
And I won't be able to afford it myself.

I may be forced to drop it.

Too much excitement in one day...

...and I'm not even at the concert yet.
I'm not even in Las Vegas yet!

Everyone goes through these phases when they've been obsessed with a certain artist for a period of time. When I was in elementary school, it was the Backstreet Boys (I never stopped loving them actually...) In middle school, I was incredibly obsessed with w-inds.. And although I swore that my love will last forever, it never did.

None of my previous loves have lasted as long as it did for Dong Bang Shin Gi/Tohoshinki/TVXQ - I've been a fan for seven years.

The five member group is no longer, but I've always refused to listen to those who tell me this, choosing to believe in their motto, "Always keep the faith." They've had legal problems with their Korean company, SM Entertainment. The group separated, with Junsu, Yuchun, and Jaejoong forming a new three-member group JYJ. They then had legal problems with their Japanese company, Avex.

I kept telling me that all of the shit happening is "temporary." Is it really?

When I found out that they were going to do a U.S. tour, I couldn't believe it. My friends and spent long hours talking about it - their management kept changing tour dates and places. Nothing was set. We may have to skip classes. We are poor college students. If we're doing this, we need to book our flights, rent a hotel room, buy the tickets. There was just so much to take into consideration.

My biggest worry in the beginning was money. I had just paid more than $500 in bills. I broke my laptop. I dropped another couple hundred for my San Francisco flight this winter, plus other flights flying to and from Hawaii and Oregon.

But a new laptop will have to wait.
I needed to go.
This may be my last chance ever to see them live since they may no longer be able to perform in Korea or Japan.

It started from planning an easy train ride from Salem to Seattle to a short flight San Francisco. When they canceled both Seattle and San Francisco stops, we looked at the next two viable options: home and Las Vegas. We didn't want to go home~ that would be ridiculous. What would our parents say? Then the Hawaii stop was canceled five days before the concert took place.

Initially, I was afraid to tell my older sister about our crazy and daring plans. To my surprise, she is spending big bucks to join us in Las Vegas! :)

Today was emotionally distressing! My heart wouldn't stop pounding since noon today. There was news of the entire tour being possibly canceled because JYJ was not able to secure working visas, and then news that they were going to ahead with the concert and pay for it themselves.

I felt so touched and proud to be their fan because they show us such great love. <3

At the same time, I had slight panic attacks because I didn't know what this change meant - the complimentary concert meant that tickets already purchased will be refunded. Will we get to keep our seats? Will we have to fight for our seats? Since the official site stated that it will be on a first-come-first-serve basis, will we be competing with others who didn't even buy a ticket? It sounds messy, chaotic, and unfair.

I was on my toes all day.
I felt like I lost ten pounds from mental stress.
I had a terribly rough day at work.
It was also that time of month, which probably heightened my emotional instability.
I was on the verge of tears.
(Drama is gross, but I can't help being a girl. FAWK.)

But I contacted Planet Hollywood this afternoon and Chelsie called Ticketmaster.

WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE EVEN BETTER SEATS!!!
YES, YES, YES!!!
I'M GOING TO LAS VEGAS, BABY!!!
I'm a happy girl. ^____^

I am a walking accident.

I bumped my head three times today.
And now my wrist is bleeding profusely from a big cut.
It was also hard to scrub or wash my hair because of my poor bruised head!

Cold!!!

This morning, I burnt my hand with hot tea. But it was the first time I was okay with it because I thought that at least if my hand was on fire, they wouldn't be freezing in the cold.

He taught me something...

You will meet all kinds of people going to a liberal arts college.
Coming here has definitely opened up my small mind.
I feel repetitive, but I can never stress this enough.

I'm a hypocrite in the way that I hate people who judge and make assumptions about others.
I didn't like the idea of people forming ideas about me that may not be true.
But I realize that it is an inevitable part of human nature to judge others.
Perhaps they are instinct from cavemen times?

Everyone likes to think that they are open minded, but appearances does count for something. It's what the eye sees first.

Having said all this, I just wanted to express how touched I felt tonight by someone who I've always felt a little uneasy around. I didn't know why he made me feel uncomfortable, but there is something a little...off about him. You will know it when you meet him. My friends make faces when I ask if they know him. He's different.

But he is really nice to me. We have the same birthday and the same double majors. After that, we could not be more different. I know he smokes. I know he parties. I know he does drugs. (But wait- doesn't almost everyone in college?) He's constantly laughing at me. (It makes me feel terrible to say this...since when did it become suspicious when people laugh all the time? What a world we live in!)

We have art history class and he wanted to study together.
I didn't take this too seriously and I almost didn't go.
But I'm so glad I did.
I was fifteen minutes late and he was standing out there in the cold, waiting for me.
When I came closer, I told him, "It's freezing!
You could have gone inside the library...Oh, did you want to smoke?"
He replied, "No, I didn't smoke because I knew I was meeting you."

People laughed when they saw us sitting at a table, saying that they never expected to ever see him in a library. He usually studied in the Kaneko Atrium. Then I realized he went out of his way for a ten minute walk over the tough sky bridge (that everyone hates) just to study with me when he could have stayed in Kaneko. (...on top of that, I made him wait...)

I was taken aback because I didn't expect this. I don't think I was mean, but I've never treated him particularly well. But he was very accepting of me, even though he knows what I think of him. He apologized at the end of our study session, saying that he couldn't help me when I've helped him so much. But he didn't realize that I did learn something. He was the bigger person.

P.S. I posted three entries in one day, but all three are completely unrelated. They are all about different people and different thoughts at different times. :)

Love

Living in the kind of environment that I did, I've probably felt more anger, hate, and sadness in my life than happiness. People rarely treated me well.

So when someone is nice to me, I am surprised.
I also fall in love with them immediately.
This is the first time I've had so many people be nice to me.

I'm in love with everyone.

Yay, I'm officially done with classes and work for today!

Dinner in 15 minutes and then the library to study for my art history midterm! This is how I feel about art history...always:



I'm deathly afraid. I studied for 8 hours on the first quiz (barely received an A) and studied 5 hours for the second quiz (received a B). This midterm just might kill me because I have to write two essays...and writing counts!

But no, I can do this! I don't want to jinx it, but life has been pretty sweet so far. Of course, I've had drama and my crazy-no-time-for-anything-shitty weeks, but the past three day weekend was exactly what I needed!

This is the first time in my life that I've had a guy friend who is so candid toward me, divulging not exactly what you would call secrets but things you don't tell everyone. I've made several guy friends since coming to college, but none of them have talked to me in this way before. He is very comfortable with me and can say whatever. I realize how precious that feeling is and it makes me feel very happy.

On another note, he never ceases to shock me with the things he says. I don't know why it surprises me, but I just never expect it or see it coming. Being with him is interesting and he feels the same about me (haha, I don't think I can remain mysterious for long though!)

I am conscious of being careful. I've broken off relationships with people last year and cried several times because it upset me so much. Now I am afraid of getting too close to people and make new friends because I don't want the same thing to happen. I hope the good relationships I have with everyone right now lasts. ^^

P.S. All of the heaters in Lausanne are broken. How ironic is it that the tech shop is located in Lausanne? And what is up with my history with broken heaters on the coldest days? A friend from home just asked me how I was doing a day before it started to get really cold. I've been freezing my butt off!

Excuse me for fangirling, but fangirl I must!

So I finally started watching a drama again after being deprived for...two weeks. (But it's been two weeks!) I finished You're Beautiful, which was amazing! I didn't expect to like it (despite all the hype) and the drama was indeed ridiculous at times, but it was the good kind of ridiculous and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It is the only drama that has ever made me cry twice. I've added it to my mental list of favorites. ^^


Right now, I am watching SungKyunKwan Scandal, which I've been wanting to see for the longest time but was too busy for. It is a historical drama, but it is a historical drama that features YooChun, which makes it a different story. I am glad that he is in the drama because I never would have given it the chance otherwise!

This is the first time I'm watching a historical drama. It's a good thing too because I've been in the mood for it ever since I started taking my Gateway to East Asia class. I justify the time I spend watching this drama by telling myself that I am studying. And really, it's relevant! The drama takes place during the Choson period, which is a chapter that I just finished reading about in class. The drama is also all about scholars (yangban) taking the civil service examinations, which is also what we read about in class. The characters are also learning the Analects of Confucius, which hey, we went over in class too! Ho, ho! The drama even quoted Mencius at one point, which is one of the philosophers at the time. See how great this is? ^^ Now I just need to convince my professor to let us watch the drama during class...

Before starting the drama, I looked forward to seeing Song JoongKi's cute face and completely overlooked this guy:



Yoo Ah In. DUUUUUUUUUUDE. So I thought he was just the hottest thing ever. And I looked him up. Ad I realized that he was the pottymouth boxer in Antique Bakery. I could not believe it. I could not believe it was the same person (especially when I pride myself in recognizing faces!) Watching that movie, I thought he was the dorkiest person alive. But here he is...such a man! XD Is it funny that I actually prefer the way he looks in the drama than in a normal setting?


He's still cute, but. In the drama? *DIES*

Then there is Jun Tae Soo.


One thing I really enjoy about this drama is the close up of (gorgeous) faces. It puts more pressure on the actors to do a good job because this means I am constantly staring at their faces. Jun Tae Soo does a beautiful job of this because I can't tear my eyes away from his eyes. They are mean eyes. And sometimes, for a split second, you see kind eyes when he pretends to be nice to Yoon Hee. But it's only for a moment before he changes back to being mean. Watching his eyes alone blow me away. I feel that as an actor, that is where he has the most power. Props to Ha Ji Won's baby brother! ^^

And those are my thoughts for now. My sister gave away some spoilers (darn you!) but they were not spoilers that I didn't already see coming. I just need to mentally prepare myself for the hurt because there will be that quintessential love triangle coming up. Ah!

Firsts

I've already experienced many first being away from home during my first year in college. I'm now experiencing even more firsts in my figure drawing class.

1st class: I saw a naked man for the first time.
2nd class: I saw a dead male and female human body for the first time.

A naked man is okay, but.
I just came back from the second class.
I couldn't do it.
I can't draw a dead body.

Fun homework...finally!

It's when I have to go on Dramabeans for "research" that I realize I love my class! Haha! ^^

Everyone in class has to write an essay about the meanings behind a symbol randomly assigned to them. I was assigned to do research on what the "fox" meant in China, Japan, and Korea. My first thought? I need to start watching My Girlfriend is a Gumiho...quick! XD

Art history will be difficult because

1) Religion plays a big part in the history of art and I know nothing about any religion

2) The jargon/vocabulary makes it difficult to understand and read the textbook. Descriptions of the work leaves me at a loss and I could only stare at the images provided with the text. Gothic variation of Corinthian capital? Say whaa?

I'm taking this step by step and have already developed a vocabulary list in the back of my notebook. ^^ Rest assured, I will know what this all means by the end of this semester!

Horrible confession

The guy who had been crushing on me for half a year wanted to hang out today.
Instead, I stayed in my room to paint my nails and watch Joseph Gordon-Levitt sing Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance."

I am such a bitch. >_<

Friday

Ok, so it's Friday, my second week of Willamette, and my first week of classes.
I've had a stressful period concerning classes and so many worries.
But I think they're over.
At least for now.

I was generally happy with all of my classes except for Rites of Passage, which I dropped for

Introduction to Renaissance and Early Modern Art.

Rites of Passage was the one class I was really excited about because it is a joint class

between Willamette and TIUA students. But the first reading article assigned was ridiculous. I feel sorry for the

Japanese students because even I had a difficult time. I like the professor because he is a really nice guy and I know the class will be an easy 'A' because we have to go at the TIUA students' pace, but. I feel like I'm wasting my time. I couldn't bring myself to read the article because I don't feel like the content is important. I also found out later that I didn't really need the class either because I already fulfilled the Mode of Inquiry: Understanding Society requirement at school.

Sometimes, I feel like I'm digging myself into a bigger hole just because I know that I'm giving up an easy 'A' for more work. After meeting the professor, I know just how tough art history class will be tough. The professor was upset that I missed the first two classes (aka I have ALOT of catching up to do!) But I'm thankful that she pulled me in despite all of the odds. I will have to work very hard!

Writing this entry makes me realize just how much I overthink things because I was freaking out before, but my worries seem insignificant now that everything has worked out. ^^;

Talking to the freshmen earlier this afteroon also made me realize that I was never bored at Willamette. Well, sometimes I am bored in classes or meetings, but I was never bored when I had my own free time...eh, I keep myself busy enough! :)

My friends are all at the Beta Beach Blast right now. I actually went with them just to take a look and see what it was like... I left maybe five minutes after. It wasn't that great. I couldn't get into the dancing and music and the longer I stayed, the lamer I would feel because I wasn't really dancing. It makes me feel bad, but.

There's always a next time right?
I just need to get super wasted so I can lose my sense of self.
Drunk people are free to go nuts.
They have no shame. :)

End of Summer

Currently, I am happily riding on the HUT shuttle on my way from the Portland airport to Salem. I had missed my earlier 6:45am reservation and is late for work (!!!) but I hope I will be forgiven. I am so happy that the HUT has Wi-fi! ^^ So this is just a blah blah post to pass time because I'm going to be here for an hour...

It's weird to finally be back after three months. This was the longest summer vacation I've had in my entire life~ I learned and experienced new things (such as taking Korean class for one month, working part-time at a bakery, learning how to drive and swim) and also did nothing at the same time (literally lying around the living room being bored). I had an ample amount of time to do both! It was really nice! ^^

I had so much fun seeing my old high school friends and also my university friends. <3 Many people have told me that they want to go back to school already, but I wasn't as eager as them...the reason being that I just know my brain has turned into complete mush (my sister might argue that it has always been mush so nothing changed). XP But I digress! I was ready to go back on the day I was leaving so...it worked out perfectly! I was supposed to see my friends one last time this past Saturday night, but felt too down to go out. I didn't do much besides pack, which I finished quickly. Just sat on my lazy butt waiting for my flight. Hahaha.

My flight was surprisingly fairly pleasant, considering that it was Delta. No complaints. Yay!

I had many other things I wanted to say, but now that I have my laptop open, I can't remember! Hahahaha. Maybe later!

Ciaopanicstyle!

When I first started making layouts, I used to change them frequently because I tired of them easily. The previous one has been up since foreverrrrr but that's because I never got tired of it! Haha.

This layout was created by putting together a collage I made from various Japanese fashion magazines and a drawing I did this summer. While I was making the collage, I discovered a Japanese brand called Ciaopanic , which amused me greatly. A friend said that the name described me very well...and I thought this layout was also befitting the title because of it's chaotic-ness. It's too bad I couldn't find a place to write 'Ciaopanic' on the collage because there was already too much text. Ah well, at least those of you reading this know. ^^

I leave in a little more than a week! I need to stop being lazy and start being proactive! Yahhh!

Sensitive Men

Many girls wish their guy was more sensitive.
But I don't blame men for not wanting to be sensitive.
Because honestly, all the sensitive men I know are made fun of.

Good night!

I find that when I eat less, I don't have tummy troubles. I need to remember this and control myself when I see food (the way I eat at home...one might think I'm a starving stray cat who hasn't eaten for weeks or something!) I don't know why it's so difficult for me to find that balance. I really love my rice, so sometimes I go overboard. The portions at restaurants are never right for me - I always want more rice and less of whatever it came with. But I've been experimenting by eating less rice these past few weeks. I am wondering if white rice is the cause of my chronic pain but I hope not! Instead of rice, I eat noodles. I will never be able to stop eating carbs. :)

I've also surprised myself by doing less shopping! At first, it was something I could not help since I removed all of my debit cards from my wallet. Cash runs fast and I would feel frustrated not having enough money. I'd always think, "I'll come back and buy this when I have the money..." but so far, I haven't. Meaning the item won't be missed because it wasn't important enough for me to come back and get it! :) If I love it enough, I will find a way to get it somehow... I wish I didn't like frivolous things like magazines. XD

Anyway, I seriously can't believe it's almost the end of July! Noo...

So much time...

Wow...I have nothing better to do with my time than make stickers and blog about them.

Is it sad?

Satisfied

Today, I revisited the boutiques (that I blogged about previous post) with another friend. I tried on some clothes and they were cute, but I was able to resist them. I also reconsidered the rainboots. But I did leave the store with a new phone charm:


CRAYON SHINCHAN = BEST ANIME EVER. I don't care what others say about the series. I grew up watching this and I miss it so much. Last week, I spotted two Crayon Shinchan phone charms at Shirokiya but gave them to my brother and sister because I am a very generous person. Now I have one too! How can anyone resist those thick caterpillar eyebrows? It doesn't match my elephant charm though. Oh well. XD

I almost forgot where Marqet was...but I thought long and hard and realized that it was across the DFS Galleria.


AND I BOUGHT MY FIRST PAIR OF SUNGLASSES.

The reason why I never owned a pair until now is because I've always had a difficult time finding one with the right fit. The size of my head is an issue - when I buy glasses, I always have to head to the children's section. Or else have the adult-sized ones adjusted. Frankly, it's quite embarrassing. But these glasses surprised me because they fit me perfectly! I also love the shape and color. Triple wins! Yay!

I feel very happy with this shopping trip. I didn't give in to temptation and I got what I wanted. So happy...

I've been working on a new mini art project...drawing stickers! I'll let you guys see them next time. ^^

Yay for Picture Posts (finally!)

First things first! The Olympus PEN E-PL1 that I ordered came in last week Friday! Woot! I was without a camera for three months now. I don't know how I managed to survive during that time. My new camera is alot bigger than I imagined it, but I can't wait to learn how to use it. I originally planned to purchase a DSLR, but stumbled upon Micro Four Third cameras during my search for one. I liked the idea of a compact camera that has the ability to take pictures of DSLR quality. I really actually wanted the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 but that's another $200 I can't afford.

I played with it for the first time yesterday on a Waikiki outing with a friend who just came back from Japan. I've never enjoyed Waikiki as much as I did yesterday! She introduced me to some of her favorite boutiques and I would have spent a fortune if I hadn't "accidently" left my debit card at home (I only had $12 cash on me).


Isn't he cute? This is the entrance to my new favorite boutique! <3


I think I'm coming back for this. After all, rain boots are necessary for Oregon weather. I mean, I need this. It was very comfortable and I love the design.


Vintage suitcases for those who want to travel in style! I took this picture right before I saw the sign forbidding it. Oops...


There are many shops and stands selling tacky merchandise and Aloha wear in Waikiki, but this really caught my eye for some reason. I really like the color and the seashell motif. :)


For lunch, she took me to Kokoro Tei, a cute little bento shop tucked away on Kuhio Avenue, catered mostly to the Japanese. I was surprised by the affordable prices (because most people think expensive when they think Japanese). I knew I had to eat more healthy so I ordered the "Shake Salad," which consisted of watercress, seaweed, (imitation?) crab, and cherry tomatoes with vinegar dressing.


I ate 2/3 of this. I guess I really just don't do salads.

I also ordered custard pudding, which was sooooo soft. <3 The caramel sauce was a little too sweet for me, but I'm glad I tried it! I am definitely coming back and ordering a bento!


We also had some delicious takoyaki at a takoyaki shop a few doors down.

Food heaven.

I really need to earn some more money so I can go shopping!!! >3<

@ Work

I fumbled a few times at work but the customers tonight were so nice and forgiving!
It made me very happy! <3

North Shore Trip

Today, I went to the North Shore with my bestie Kayla and her parents. <3 I had slept over Friday night so we could leave in the morning~ I consider this my first time because I've only gone to that side of the island to visit Camp Erdman and the Polynesian Cultural Center, but never the beach or Haleiwa. It was my first time just lying on the beach and tanning for several hours. I did get darker, but I applied sunscreen unevenly so my tan looks bad. >_<;

We were going to leave after the beach, but I needed to use the restroom, so we ended up doing some unintentional shopping! First, we stopped by Aoki's Shave Ice, where I got the Local Mix (pineapple, mango, li hing mui) with azuki beans. It melted too fast for me. ^^; Then we explored some shops~ which I found pretty interesting. I bought a really cute pair of shorts for $23.

Full Days

So I've been going to school in the mornings and working nights for these past two days without any stops for rest. I even reserve bus rides for finishing homework. It's pretty exhausting but somehow satisfying at the same time.

I can take it easy for the rest of the week since I don't work - but I do wish I had more hours because I need the $$$. I calculated the amount I would earn before summer's over and it doesn't even come up to $1000.

I miss my camera so much.

I want to take pictures!

Not really an update...

It's true when people say it's a small world...or, that Hawaii is a small place. I end up seeing people I know almost everyday. ^_^ (Or finding out that you had connections with people you just met!)

I can't believe a month passed since I returned from Oregon. Many don't understand why I'm taking classes during the summer, but school actually saved me. You might imagine that spending a summer in Hawaii entails me playing at the beach with friends...but the truth is, I don't see my friends that often.

We have schedule conflicts and everyone has other priorities - work, school, boyfriends. I didn't expect much because it was the same when I came back for winter vacation. And I'm not complaining either because I'm perfectly content right now. School is so much fun and although the teacher sometimes spoils us a little too much, I'm glad that I don't have the same stress I had during the normal school year. But I also get a little lazy...:P I really want to take the second session in July, but one session is already very expensive. I can't afford to continue. It makes me sad.

I can't wait to start work and start making some $$$!!! I am receiving much less financial aid this year. >_< I tried to sell things on eBay, but I only sold two items and made $1.42 total. Lame.

I feel guilty for having materialistic desires...

On a side note, I finally got to try out the Korean dramas I've been wanting to see but never had the time for:



Cinderella's Sister
The reason: Chun Jung Myun and Ok Taecyon. But the drama nearly killed me. I started watching it with Kayla during our sleepover - we saw four episodes that night and one more the next morning...it was too much angst, screaming, tears, and silent stares. Frankly, the plot isn't that interesting. I couldn't stand the two main girls. (I swear I like the guys better because their characters were not irritating - not because they're pretty. XP) But for some reason, the mini marathon made me a little crazy. I ended up finishing the drama by reading recaps of the drama from Dramabeans. The recaps are very interesting and provide some pretty deep insights (it makes me wonder if the writer or actors even thought that far...) I was glad I did this because this drama just drags onnnnn... and I was only interested in scenes when something exciting happens.



A Man Called God
The reason: Hawaii! It's funny to see the drama take place at home. But this drama is too much. Just watch the first episode and you'll understand. D:

Mom left for China. I am worried about her because 1) She did not say good-bye and 2) She was crying hysterically the night before she left. I was a little shocked when I woke up and discovered that she was gone. I want to scold her a little. :(

It's sad to say that the house is actually very peaceful without her. I've started cooking dinner! Yesterday, I made a classic Cantonese dish: Chicken with cream of corn. I also added potatoes~ very healthy. (My brother and dad didn't eat much of it.) Tonight, I made oyako donburi and miso vegetable soup. I was glad to cook because it gave me an excuse to get off my fat butt. I've been sitting in front of my laptop for four hours straight. It feels lousy.

Tonight, I should study...:)

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

I am a avid reader of Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series so I was very excited to finally watch the HBO drama version of the series.

I was afraid that it would be boring at first.
It would be so easy for it to be bad.

But it was very well done!
The portrayal of the characters and the acting was great!
It follows the book very well and I couldn't ask for anything more! ^^

I borrowed the DVD set of the entire first season from the library and just finished watching the first disc (containing episodes 1 & 2) tonight. I can't to watch more!

I love Ruche

First Day of School

Funny because it happened the day after my baby brother just finished school. XD

I was a little nervous, but it's pretty cool so far! The teacher is really young, pretty, sweet, and extremely FOB. She can't really speak English - it always has to be mixed with some Korean words. But I think it's for the better because it forces us students to pick up the language faster and learn from it. :P

We began the class with her blasting kdrama pop music from Youtube (an OST song from Boys Over Flowers) and watching a video of random clips from Full House. Because she is young, she is inexperienced...but I can tell that she tries her best to make class fun. ^^ We went over the syllabus, where I learned that if you turn in late homework, you have to provide snacks for everyone in class. Throughout the semester, she will have us take turns playing a Korean song from Youtube during 'breaks.' I know I'll have a lot of songs to share with everyone haha...

The teacher also asked the class the reason why people were taking this class and they said stuff like, "My mom is making me," and "I needed a summer class to take." (Like omg. And I'm taking this class for pure enjoyment...) The teacher was like, "Aren't you guys taking this class because you have some interest in Korea? I know some people want to take this class because they like Super Junior or Dong Bang Shin Gi..."

(Kyahh, but I will never admit it. ^.~)

I bumped into two of my friends before class. One of them was surprised and asked me, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm taking class."

She looked at me incredulously, "Aren't you going to enjoy your summer?"

LOL, but I am...>>; Haha... and anyway, I can say the same for her since we met each other at the bookstore buying textbooks. XP

I know that the hardest part about learning Korean is getting familiar with the alphabet...but I can do it! ^o^

After class, I hung out with my friends at Satura Cake to gossip talk because we had a lot of catching up to do! ^^

I ate so much junk food/dessert today again...so bad.

Sweet stuff in the morning, then frozen yogurt, then azuki danish (I couldn't resist anything azuki even though it didn't have much azuki) and NY cheesecake from Satura Cake. It's all very delicious but...! XD

Aloha From the Top of the World

Today, I went hiking at Makapu'u! The hike was easy, windy, and so much fun!

Not to mention...the view was beautiful~ *o*



There was one tree, among the field of dead ones, that bloomed red flowers.

Recently

These past few days have been so lax that I feel guilty. I'm so used to being stressed and not having enough time to do everything... but now, I have no obligations to do anything! :O I have to remind myself that this is what a 'vacation' is all about...I went shopping, watched dramas, read manga, played around Waikiki till 1am, and relaxed in the Marriott pool and hot tub. I also did my share of lying around at home, studying (because I have nothing better to do! XP)

I even had time to do some grocery shopping...and time to do laundry the old-fashioned way (stomping on clothes with running hot water + soap.) And had a late dim sum lunch with my mother (miraculously, we did not get into a huge argument!)

Surprisingly, I did not get a chance to hang out with my friends here yet (except for that one shopping trip)~ it has only been with my friends at Willamette. >.< I was free today, but I think everyone else had plans. I ended up spending the entire day reading the driver's manual. It was SO BORING but I was determined to read the entire book and answer all 171 practice questions in the back. I only took a half hour break for an episode of Friends and voilà! I finally finished around 2pm! It took great discipline! I heard that my little brother did not have the patience for the book~ but I have a feeling that he will make a better driver than me anyway. It makes me feel a bit sad knowing that I always have to put in that extra effort while others breeze past~ Everyone keeps telling me that it's common sense but I actually had a difficult time with the questions. Unfortunately, I do not have a very logical brain. ^^;

After finishing the driver's manual, I continued studying Japanese and going over the chapters that were not covered in class. I am on a chapter about asking and giving directions so I had to look at more maps and signs. UGH. I felt like I was done with this after closing the driver's manual! XP I can't tell directions to save my life (IN ENGLISH) so I don't know why I'm trying to teach myself this in Japanese. It was very confusing, but I managed to make it through half a chapter. ^^

But enough lying around! I start summer school next week! D:

Hurrah for consumerism...!

Oh, how I love to shop. I suffered from shopping deprivation while I was in Oregon and desperately needed to satisfy my urge now that I'm home! On the day after my flight back, my bestie and I went shopping...for nine hours straight.

It was wonderful.

I spent more than a hundred dollars, but I realize that a large part of that money went toward buying presents for friends! One of my favorite things to do is shop for friends - especially if I see something that reminds me of them or something that I know they like. I can splurge on others more easily than I can splurge on myself... I wish I loved myself more. D:




This grey studded purse will be a belated birthday gift for my other bestie because it reminded me of her. She is the only friend who really tried to keep in contact with me while I was away. She is the friend that I could call 2am in the morning when I felt scared and wanted to be comforted. She is the one I saw the most over winter break. The purse just gets cuter each time I look at it so I hope she likes it as much as I do!


Earrings from Downtown Market
It's my favorite place to shop for earrings! The pink pair on the left is for me. My bestie bought a matching green pair.


These earrings are not my style, but I really like the unique and edgy design. I bought them for a friend who would appreciate them. ;)


A pencil case for a friend in Washington.

I also bought an adorable pair of sneakers and flats. I like the color of the sneakers and the starry cut-outs of the flats.


Onitsuka Tiger Sneakers


Soda Flats


Facial products from Japan

We actually bumped into our other friend while we were at the mall and followed her to Thinker Tots, her workplace. We bought matching scrubbies! I bought the frog while they got a pig and a duck. Tee hee!


Frog Scrubby



We had the most amazing lunch at Shirokiya, my favorite place to eat! We ate sweet potato obanyaki (which is like a pancake pastry with sweet potato filling), teriyaki chicken onigiri, and chicken summer rolls with delicious peanut sauce.

Everything was yummy, but I think the highlight of our day was this...


Osekihan Manju

Basically, it is a manju with azuki bean filling covered in okowa. It is a combination of my favorite foods and it is ridiculously good!!!

I didn't take a picture of it, but I also bought a floppy sun hat, which I will probably use every four months out of the year and only when I'm home. ^^ My bestie and I also exchanged presents - I bought her a bag and she bought me a lion pillow (that my sister insists resembles me because of the small eyes and big cheeks). <3

GAHHHH.

I still need new leggings (my current pair has a large hole) and shorts, but I don't think I should do any more shopping for a while...

Back Home in the Aloha State!

It feels so weird to be back home!!!

I feel great because I spent all of yesterday cleaning and packing after my final microeconomics exam. It was exhausting! There were maybe two questions that I couldn't answer, but at this point, I didn't care anymore. I just wanted to be done!

This summer I need:

- Korean classes at UH ($1168)
- a new camera ($600~700)
- Taiko lessons ($100~150)
- a new cellphone ($100~200)
- YMCA ($12~22)
- Driver's license ($5???)
- to go shopping (you know, in general XP)
= ~ $2325

Why do I have to be so expensive...

Junsu's English Skills

Junsu, I want you. :)

Ate a bunch of cookies cupcake waffle cone huge ass cinnamon roll donut cheesecake mochi jelly. Omg sugar overload someone should stop this monster. D:

And this was just the sweets. Not counting the fried chicken and pizza.

All in one day.

Gosh I feel gross.

I hate hippies!

I learned in psychology that it is a myth to pacify your anger by expressing it because showing anger simply breeds more anger. I find this to be true in many cases - when I rant, I sometimes feel even more angry and not at all better about whatever caused this anger. Because the problem doesn't go away. However, I'm not suggesting that it is a better solution to keep it inside because I know that is something I simply cannot do. My only solution right now is to run. The idea is that I make myself so physically exhausted that I don't have any more energy to be angry anymore. It usually works.

And...I'm getting way off topic, babbling about the subject of anger. Because it's the first time I've been angry since leaving home. I've felt hurt, sad, lonely, and scared, but those are the only negative emotions I've felt at school.

I am angry right now because people refuse to flush the toilets. I imagined this being a constant problem in elementary schools, but never at a respectable private university. This has been going on for several days and the sight of someone's waste sickens me. I decided to take action today by posting up signs prompting people to flush the toilet (y'know, in case they forgot?)

When I was showering tonight, I heard a whole bunch of girls complaining about these signs. They sounded so wronged, as if they've been unjustified.

"Oh, I can't believe these signs. How can I convey to people that we want to conserve water? Blah, blah, blah."

Dude.

Oh my gawd.

Like, shut the fuck up.

That is stupid. I understand wanting to be environmentally friendly, but this is too extreme. It's gross. It's unsanitary. There are better ways to conserve water. You want to save water? Why don't they stop showering? Maybe they can just bathe at the Mill Stream. OH WAIT. They don't shower. That's why the hallway stinks so much.

They made me feel like what I did was wrong, but my roommate supports my right to not want to look at other people's shit and my desire for a...less smelly hallway. It makes me happy that at least one person (thank goodness for my roommate!!!) agrees with me even though nobody else does.

I never knew I hated hippies.

BUT I HATE HIPPIES.

P.S. If you are a hippie, I can't be friends with you. Sometimes it breaks my heart because some of them are really nice people. But no, they need to respect me for not wanting to look at their waste first.

102 Post! :O

It's the end of the semester! As of right now, I'm just chilling...maybe a little too much? It makes me feel nervous when I feel like I have free time. But I have dedicated much of my time to planning various events...everything's finished now. Finals are coming up, but I'm not thinking about them right now. Maybe I should. Maybe I should start worrying and studying NOW so that I don't pay for it later by cramming.

I've been drama and manga deprived for the past four months (no wonder I was so unhappy! XD)



I've started watching Sunao ni Narenakute, which is a new drama currently airing in Japan. I felt like this drama was made for me because it stars all of my favorite people - Ueno Juri, eita, Tamayama Tetsuji, and even Jaejoong from DBSK! <333 It's fabulous!

I'm also reading Honey & Clover volume 7 after not touching a manga for five months. It's nice. *^^* People read scanslations, but I like to have the actual book in my hand. I don't know. It's more difficult to get into a manga through the computer. There are so many good quotes in the book~ <3 It reminds me that I should get started on Chantilly again...which I've completely abandoned. D:

I also got a tumblr because of peer pressure. It's fun. Now that I finally have one myself, I am afraid I might ditch this one. After all, who needs two blogs? ^^;

P.S. I found out that I don't like sculpture, which is surprising because I've always thought I would enjoy it. But I don't. I prefer to draw.

P.P.S. I should make a new layout. This drawing was something I did back in high school! @_@ (Which seems so far away when it was just last year...)

P.P.P.S. This is actually the 102nd post...wow, I didn't realize the point I reached past a hundred!

2010 Fall Semester Schedule

I'll be hella busy again, but I got into every class I wanted!
I'm so excited!!! ^^

JAPAN 331 Third Year Japanese I
Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri
9:10 am - 10:00 am

MUSC 111 Basics of Singing
Mon, Wed
11:30 am - 12:30 pm

ARTS 241 Figure Drawing
Mon
6:30 pm - 10:30 pm

ASIA 201 Gateway to East Asia
Tues, Thurs
12:50 pm - 2:20 pm

IDS 230 Rites of Passage in Japan & US
Tues, Thurs
2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

So

so

so

so

very

exhausted.

And I thought I would never get as exhausted and overwhelmed as the week of Sakura Matsuri.

Well, this is the week of Lu'au...

I have mixed feelings about the fact that there are only a few weeks left of school. I like that, but at the same time, I don't want to go home!

I also want to enjoy my last weeks of school before the semester ends, but I feel too tired to enjoy it right now. ><

Today's Happenings

- In art class, we are working on sculpture and I decided to replicate a shoyu container for my project because it was the only thing I had in my room. In creative writing class, the professor wrote "poetry" on the board and I misread it as "Pocky." (How much more Asian can I get?)

- Kayla gets really annoyed when people speak a language other than English, but when I accidentally speak Chinese or Japanese, she forgives me. (I am glad.)

- I was attacked by two TIUA girls earlier today shouting my name across the field. I did not know who they were, but they apparently knew me (and my name?!) They also asked me about my housing plans for next year... it was all so strange!

Hawaii Club's 21st Annual Lu'au...

Now attacking campus with Lu'au posters and shirts...a collaboration between me and Colby! Yay! We have been working on it since winter break. I remember meeting in various Starbucks locations around Hawaii. Colby claims that it is a good environment that keeps him productive, but I find the dim-lighting and quiet music sleep inducing...

I'm so glad that we've finally finished that!

But Lu'au is in two weeks!
Ahh!

I've been telling everyone I see to come and watch Kayla perform the Hula.
She responds by telling everyone, "Jenna's doing Tahitian. She'll be shaking her ass the whole time. At least I'll be pretending to be graceful."

>>;;;

No, no, no...I'm not shaking my butt.
I'm doing a figure-eights with my hips.
And it's so difficult.
And quick!
I need to work on it.

P.S. The dancers will also be practicing kapu, in which we refrain from having sex, drinking alcohol, and consuming refined sweets. The first two is easy, but I don't know if I can survive without getting my daily dose of sweets everyday...I should not have started the habit of eating chocolate the minute I wake up.

Sakura Matsuri Report

Sakura Matsuri, the fruits of our labor, was an enormous success and I am very happy!!! The only unfortunate thing is that my camera broke during spring break, so I don't have too much pictures to commemorate the event... I made a mistake during my taiko performance because I was nervous, but not many people mentioned it.



The dance was amazing, but my legs hurt for three days afterward. It was difficult to walk and difficult to sit down (anything that had to do with bending hurt so much!) The dance is incredibly intense, but it is so much fun!!! I would love to perform again in the fall!



I was able to play all of the songs for our sanshin performance because I practiced until past midnight during the night before. Many people came to see us! ^^

I also finally got to watch Kaoru's group, Takohachi, perform and it. Blew. Me. Away. I knew Kaoru was amazing. I thought she was fierce. Some of her teammates make her look laid back. The leader of the group was the definition of fierce. When my group performed, I thought that Chelsie had strength and Hillary speed. But the leader of Takohachi had both speed and strength. They truly understood the meaning of entertainment and what it meant to be performers because they were not simply drumming - they were dancing and interacting with the audience at the same time. I don't even want to put up a video of them because a video and the real life experience is just too different. It was the first time a performance has made me cry. It messed up the slight make-up I was wearing, but I couldn't stop the tears.

I bought as much of their merchandise as I could with the little money I had. XD

Ladies from the School of Ikebana came to visit us and I got to make my own for free!!! I've always wanted to try flower arrangement.



My posters were popular! Kenny was contemplating selling them, but that would be a little too much. We ended up giving some extras away. Some people stole posters. Others told me that they wanted to cover their bedroom walls with them, haha.

My shirt was also very popular! Since many people requested for a shirt of their own, I will be writing a check for a second order! :)